Thai Red Rubies Dessert (Tub Tim Grob)
Embracing the spirit of Thai New Year, the Red Rubies Dessert is the perfect celebratory treat to serve. The name of this dish represents prosperity, as the ruby-like spheres symbolize good fortune and abundance. Delightfully soft and chewy on the outside, with a delightful crunch from the water chestnuts or jicama within, this easy-to-prepare dessert captures the essence of Thai cuisine.
What is Red Ruby Dessert Made of?
This delectable Thai dessert, made with a combination of vibrant, jewel-like spheres. Water chestnuts or jicama provide a satisfying crunch at the heart of this dessert when you bite into the soft, chewy exterior. A simple dyeing process creates the ruby-red color, adding to the visual appeal of this Thai delicacy. The chewy texture of the exterior comes from coating the spheres in tapioca starch, much like the process of making boba pearls.
How to Make Ruby Dessert?
Start by making a simple syrup. Then, chop water chestnuts or jicama into small cubes. Add food coloring to the cubed vegetables to achieve the vibrant ruby-red hue. Toss the colored cubes in tapioca flour to coat them. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the coated cubes and cook until they float to the surface. Remove the cooked cubes and immediately plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking process. Finally, transfer the chilled red rubies to the prepared simple syrup. Serve the Red Rubies Dessert chilled, drizzled with fragrant coconut milk and syrup, and topped with crushed ice for a refreshing and delightful treat.
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Making Syrup for Red Ruby Dessert.
The first step in this recipe is making syrup because it needs time to cool down. You can easily prepare a simple syrup by combining two parts water with one part sugar. Alternatively, like I did, you can use one part coconut water, one part water, and one part sugar. This choice adds a fragrant aroma and natural sweetness from the coconut water and coconut sugar.
Another essential element of this dessert is the coconut milk. It’s crucial to warm the coconut milk gently without bringing it to a boil. Boiling the coconut milk may cause the fat to separate from the milk. Typically, Thai people infuse their coconut milk with the fragrance of pandan leaves. However, you have the option to experiment with other aromas, such as a few drops of orange or jasmine extract.
Storage
Just like boba pearls, you should always let the rubies soak in the syrup. This keeps them shiny and prevents them from sticking together. They’ll stay fresh at room temperature all day long. However, if you refrigerate the rubies overnight, some of them might harden. So, it’s better to keep them at room temperature and enjoy them on the same day. Moreover, I do not recommend to refrigerate them for more than one day. Honestly, that is the longest that I’ve ever left them in the fridge.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Question 1 : “How can I ensure that the food coloring covers the water chestnuts evenly?” Answer: To ensure even coverage, mix the food coloring with a tablespoon of water thoroughly before using it to dye the water chestnuts.
- Question 2: “Do I need to coat the water chestnuts with tapioca flour until they all turn white?” Answer: No, it’s not necessary. It depends on the intensity of the dye you’re using. Some dyes are more vibrant than others. Just ensure they’re well coated, and it’s enough if each water chestnut appears slightly pale. Remember, the thicker the coating, the higher the risk of the rubies hardening when refrigerated.
- Question 3: “Why is my tapioca and the color coating come off completely while boiling?Answer: This happens when you overcook the rubies. I’ve conducted experiments to help you avoid this. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium. Add the rubies to the pot and cook until they all float to the top. Then, remove them and immediately immerse them in cold water, followed by syrup. If you prefer extra assurance, you can cook them for another 30 seconds to a minute. However, the entire cooking process for the rubies should take about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Question 4: What can I make ahead? Answer: You can make the syrup and prepare the coconut milk the day or two before and make the rubies to serve when you are ready.
If you’d like to learn more about dessert and other dishes for the Thai and South East Asian New Year dishes, make sure to check out my Laab, Pad Thai, Thai Mango Sticky Rice and my Thai New Year category.
Thai Red Rubies Dessert (Tub Tim Grob)
Equipment
- 1 pot
Ingredients
For the Rubies
- 2 cans water chestnuts (8 oz can)
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon butterfly pea powder
- 2 tablespoons water (1 tablespoon to mix with each color.)
- 1½ cup tapioca flour (1/2 – 3/4 cup for each color)
For the Syrup, Coconut Milk, and Adds on
- 1 cup sugar (or granulated monk fruit)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup coconut water optional (You can use 2 cups water instead.)
- 400 mL coconut milk (1 can)
- 2 drops orange extract or a pandan leaf
- 1/8 teaspoon salt (a pinch)
- 1 cup young coconut in syrup (optional)
Instructions
Make the Syrup.
- In a pot, combine sugar, coconut water, and water. Heat over medium heat and stir continuously until all the sugar is dissolved, which should take about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it chill.
Make the Red Rubies or Other Colors Jewelry.
- Chop or dice the water chestnuts into small cubes or rectangles. The rectangular shape somehow provides a crunchier texture on the inside. You can refer to the images above for guidance. (In the mean time start boiling water.)
- In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of food coloring or powder, such as butterfly pea powder for blue (sapphire), or red food coloring for rubies, with 1 tablespoon of water. Pour the mixture over the water chestnuts and stir thoroughly to coat them evenly with the food coloring.
- Toss the tapioca flour to thoroughly coat the water chestnuts. This should result in the rubies or water chestnut gems becoming paler or white in color, depending on the types and brands of food coloring used. Strain any excess tapioca flour using a colander. You can refer to the images above for clarification.
- Once the water reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium. Cook the water chestnut rubies until they all float to the surface. The rubies should appear vibrant, indicating that the tapioca flour has turned into translucent gel, which typically takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Note: If you notice small white spots on most of the rubies, continue cooking for another minute. Remove the rubies from the heat and plunge them into a bowl of ice-cold water for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to the syrup bowl and let them soak until ready to serve.
Prepare the coconut milk.
- Heat the coconut milk over medium heat until warm. Add a few drops of orange extract or a pandan leaf and a pinch of salt to the coconut milk. Continue heating and stirring until the coconut milk is warm to the touch, then remove it from the heat.
Assemble and Serve.
- Place some crushed ice in a dessert bowl, then add the water chestnut rubies along with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of syrup to cover them. Add a tablespoon of coconut milk and some young coconut or jackfruit. Now, it's time to enjoy!
Video
@stickyricethaikitchen Thai Rubies Dessert : Ingredients ⬇️ For the Rubies 2 cans water chestnuts (8 oz can) 1 teaspoon red food coloring 1 teaspoon butterfly pea powder 2 tablespoons water (1 tablespoon to mix with each color.) 1½ cup tapioca flour (½ – ¾ cup for each color) For the Syrup, Coconut Milk, and Adds on 1 cup sugar (or granulated monk fruit) 1 cup water 1 cup coconut water optional (You can use 2 cups water instead.) 400 mL coconut milk (1 can) 2 drops orange extract or a pandan leaf ⅛ teaspoon salt (a pinch) 1 cup young coconut in syrup (optional) Make sure to read the full recipe and tips from https://stickyricethaikitchen.com/red-rubies-dessert/ I can’t list all the tips in the video 🙌 #thaifood#rubies#dessert#sapphire#ทับทิมกรอบ#easyrecipe#drinktok#drink#boba#tubtimgrob
♬ Nice and Easy – Louis Adrien
